Pazhanji: Baiju Chozhikunnathuveettil, a local farmer here, is bringing a taste of Maharashtra to Pazhanji by cultivating Nasar Bath, a rare paddy variety, in the Aruvayi polders. This violet-hued, diabetes-friendly rice is now growing on half an acre  on a trial basis under organic farming methods.

 The saplings have already begun forming grains and are expected to be ready for harvest within 110 to 125 days. Baiju, who procured the Nasar Bath seeds from Kollengode, observed that while the plants in Kollengode grow nearly four feet tall, those cultivated in the Aruvayi polders have grown only to the height of typical paddy varieties.

 Baiju, and cultivates paddy on 12 acres of land on lease, is also growing various other varieties of paddy including Jyothi, Uma and Ponmani.